Valves, clicking noise

92 Prizm, 4AFE eng, 1.6L DOHC, 3spd AT. At 116K I took this car to a Toyota dealership for a valve adj since there was fairly pronounced valve train clicking noise. I purchased the car with 110k on it. After a 20 mi trip to the dealer's shop (eng was at normal operating temp) a mechanic did the work without letting the engine cool down. When the work was done I was told he only had to adjust a few valves and there still was "a little bit of ticking". Well, it seems to "tick" about as much as before. Another mechanic told me its wear in the valve train and nothing to worry about. I've owned Toyotas, Hondas and a Mazda and I always did my own valve adj and I know that properly adj'd valves don't make "clicking noises". A few years ago I became disabled or I would have done this job myself. According to my Haynes manual this engine should be cold when the valves are adjusted. I think there should be no noise if the valve adj is done correctly on a cold engine because the mechanical adjustment compensates for any wear. That is why the mech adjustment exists. Am I correct about this or am I all wet?